1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to schedules for programming information viewed upon a display screen. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems and methods for providing an enhanced electronic program guide manipulatable to vary the programming information presented to an individual, such as a viewer.
2. The Prior state of the Art
As communication technology continues to expand, individuals have an increasing number of available programs and services accessible from the individual's home, office, or other location. For example, many cable and satellite television services offer dozens if not hundreds of different channels from which the individual or viewer may choose. The dramatic increase in the amount of available broadcast programming and other services greatly increases the amount and type of available information accessible by a viewer. Unfortunately, the increase and quantity of information, e.g., broadcast programming and services, complicates the process of program and service selection. Unless a viewer is able to quickly and easily identify desired programs and services and determine when those programs and services are available, most viewers will not realize the full potential for using and accessing the available wealth of knowledge and entertainment.
Typically, a viewer identifies the availability of broadcast programming and services by way of an electronic program guide (“EPG”). The EPG provides the viewer with a schedule of broadcast programming and services presented as a time-based grid; time blocks commonly being arranged as columns, while different channels and services are arranged in rows. Commonly, program titles are displayed in the grid at the intersection of the time at which the program airs and the channel on which the program is broadcast. Alternatively, some EPGs provide a list of programming on a per channel basis, with the time period associated with the broadcast programming or services incorporated within a portion of the display.
When programming schedule information is requested, typically, the EPG is substituted for the current programming. In such a case, the EPG is termed to be in full mode and displays multiple “slices” of programming information to the viewer. Each “slice” includes a channel identifier, programming information, and one or more time period entries. For example, many existing EPGs display the programming information on a three or four half-hour time period basis, beginning with a current half-hour time period and extending to approximately two hours from the beginning time period. The programming information for multiple channels may be displayed to the viewer either automatically as the EPG scrolls through the available broadcast programming and service information in numeric order or alternatively the full mode EPG may allow a viewer to manually scroll through the available channel information.
In contrast to full mode, some EPGs may display to a viewer only a single “slice” of programming information, typically at the bottom of the display screen. The EPG is termed to be operating in a browser mode. Such single “slice” of programming information displays the details of the programming currently viewed or accessed on a particular channel. For example, if the channel is Channel 5 and local news broadcast programming is displayed to the viewer, the “slice” provides the viewer with start and stop times for the local news on Channel 5. To obtain additional information for other channels, it is typically necessary to access the EPG in full mode.
With advances in digital cable systems, some EPGs allow a user to scroll through various single slices of broadcast programming and service information in browser mode. For example, while a viewer watches a particular channel, the viewer may change the single “slice” representation of the broadcast programming or service on the channel currently viewed to a “slice” containing information for a preceding or subsequent channel. Additionally, the viewer may scroll on a time period basis and substitute the current time period displayed in the browser mode for subsequent time periods.
Although current advances with electronic program guides provide a viewer with flexibility in viewing broadcast programming information, there are still significant problems. For example, as implied above, to view multiple “slices,” it is currently necessary to switch from browser mode to full mode and search through all of the available broadcast programming or services to identify programming or services desired by the viewer. This process becomes more tedious when the viewer must scroll through the same broadcast programming and services repeatedly for the same period of time on subsequent days or weeks to obtain desired broadcast programming or services.
Further, it may become tedious to access broadcast programming and service information for a certain type of programming or services that a viewer commonly watches or access over a long period of time, such as every day or week. Similarly, it is difficult to access or view the relevant information for a type of programming or services available at a particular time period when a viewer is unaware of the availability of such programming and/or services. For example, a sports enthusiast may be unaware of the transmission of a sport special during the transmission of other broadcast programming. The current manner by which a viewer may identify the availability of broadcast programs and/or services is to scroll through the available programming and/or service information or watch as the EPG automatically scrolls through the available programming and/or service information.
It would therefore be an advance to provide methods and systems that generate more manipulable electronic program guides that give programming information to viewers in a simple and efficient manner.